1-55. (canceled)
56. A stator for a mud motor, or for another progressive cavity machine, the stator comprising:
a tube having a sinusoidal internal profile comprising a plurality of lobes and a plurality of troughs, each trough being circumferentially positioned between two of the lobes;
wherein each lobe has a crown that includes an indentation; and
an elastomeric layer disposed on the internal profile.
57. The stator of claim 56, wherein each lobe includes a flank extending from the crown to one of the troughs, wherein each flank includes undulations.
58. The stator of claim 56, wherein each crown includes a pair of raised lips circumferentially adjacent the indentation.
59. The stator of claim 58, wherein each indentation is disposed between the pair of raised lips on the corresponding crown.
60. The stator of claim 56, wherein the indentations are scores formed from a plurality of ball bearings.
61. The stator of claim 56, wherein the indentations are configured to guide the stator over a spindle head during formation of the troughs.
62. The stator of claim 56, wherein the indentations are configured to increase the surface area of the internal profile for bonding of the elastomeric layer thereto.
63. A stator for a mud motor, or for another progressive cavity machine, the stator comprising:
a tube having a central axis, an outer surface, and an inner surface, wherein the inner surface includes a plurality of circumferentially-spaced parallel helical lobes and a plurality of circumferentially-spaced parallel troughs, wherein each trough is circumferentially disposed between two of the lobes;
wherein each lobe has a radially inner crown;
wherein a plurality of the crowns include an indentation, wherein the indentations are configured to guide the tube during formation of the troughs.
64. The stator of claim 63, wherein each crown includes an indentation.
65. The stator of claim 63, wherein the plurality of the crowns include a pair of raised lips circumferentially adjacent the corresponding indentation.
66. The stator of claim 65, wherein each indentation is circumferentially disposed between the corresponding pair of raised lips.
67. The stator of claim 65, wherein each indentation is configured to receive a ball bearing rotatably coupled to a spindle head.
68. The stator of claim 63, further comprising an elastomeric layer disposed on the inner surface of the tube.
69. The stator of claim 63, wherein each indentation is a score.
70. The stator of claim 63, wherein the indentations are configured to guide the tube relative to a spindle head during formation of the troughs.
71. A method for forming a stator for a mud motor, or for another progressive cavity machine, the method comprising:
(a) passing a tube over a spindle head, wherein the tube has a central axis and an inner surface;
(b) scoring the inner surface of the tube with a plurality of ball bearings coupled to the spindle head to form a plurality of circumferentially-spaced indentations on the inner surface of the tube with the ball bearings during (a);
(c) forming a first helical groove in the inner surface of the tube with a cutting tool of the spindle head during (a).
72. The method of claim 71, further comprising forming a pair of raised lips on opposite circumferential sides of each indentation during (b).
73. The method of claim 71, further comprising:
(d) passing the tube over the spindle head after (a)-(c);
(e) engaging the indentations with the ball bearings to guide the tube relative to the spindle head during (d);
(f) forming a second helical groove in the inner surface of the tube with the cutting tool of the spindle head during (d), wherein the second helical groove is circumferentially-spaced from the first helical groove.
74. The method of claim 71, further comprising:
(d) passing the tube over the spindle head after (a)-(c);
(e) engaging the indentations with the ball bearings to guide the tube relative to the spindle head during (d);
(f) increasing a radial depth of the first helical groove with the cutting tool of the spindle head during (d).
75. The method of claim 71, further comprising:
passing the tube over the spindle head a plurality of times to form a plurality of circumferentially-spaced helical grooves in the inner surface of the tube;
engaging the indentations with the ball bearings to guide the tube relative to the spindle head during each pass of the tube over the spindle head;
forming a plurality of circumferentially-spaced helical grooves in the inner surface of the tube with the cutting tool.
76. The method of claim 75, wherein a raised lip is disposed on either side of each indentation.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for navigation of television program listings within a user interface, the method comprising:
moving a first set of visual cards in a linear sequence through a single focus area that is both vertically and horizontally fixed within the user interface;
moving a second set of visual cards in a linear sequence through the focus area from a perpendicular direction, wherein each visual card of the second set of visual cards represents a respective television program or programming source in a particular broadcast time slot, and wherein no visual card in the first set is also included in the second set; and
in response to a single user action, replacing the second set of visual cards with a third set of visual cards, each visual card of the third set of visual cards representing a respective television program or programming source in a later broadcast time slot.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the first set of visual cards.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
moving the third set of visual cards through the focus area; and
discontinuing the moving of the third set of visual cards in response to a user command to display a particular visual card in the focus area corresponding to a television program or programming source in the later broadcast time slot.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
enabling selection of the particular visual card in the focus area in response to an additional user action; and
displaying a television program shown in the broadcast time slot represented by the particular visual card.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein selection of the particular visual card is in response to a single user action.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein each visual card of the second set graphically represents its associated television program or programming source.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one television programming source comprises a broadcast television channel.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one television programming source comprises a broadcast television network.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the moving of the first set of visual cards is initiated in response to a single user action.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the second set of visual cards.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising replacing the third set of visual cards with a fourth set of visual cards in response to a user command, each visual card of the fourth set of visual cards representing a television program or programming source in an earlier broadcast time slot.
12. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a time slot indicator that provides an indication of a first broadcast time slot represented by the visual card in the focus area in addition to a next broadcast time slot associated with a set of visual cards that will replace the currently-displayed set of visual cards in response to the single user action.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising updating the time slot indicator in response to replacing the first set of cards with the third set of cards to reflect a new broadcast time slot represented by the visual card in the focus area.
14. A system for focused navigation of a plurality of television programs within a user interface, the system comprising:
a user input detector configured to detect actions of a user; and
a processor configured to move a first set of visual cards in a linear sequence through a single focus area that is both vertically and horizontally fixed within the user interface, wherein the processor is also configured to move a second set of visual cards through the focus area from a perpendicular direction, wherein each visual card of the second set of visual cards represents a respective television program or programming source in a particular broadcast time slot, wherein no visual card of the first set is included in the second set, and wherein the processor is further configured to replace, in response to a single user action, the second set of visual cards with a third set of visual cards, each visual card of the second set of visual cards representing a respective television program or programming source in a later broadcast time slot.
15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a storage device configured to store the visual cards.
16. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to:
move the third set of visual cards through the focus area; and
discontinue the moving of the third set of visual cards in response to a user command to display a particular visual card in the focus area corresponding to a television program or programming source in the later broadcast television time slot.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to enable selection of the particular visual card in the focus area in response to an additional user action, and wherein the processor is further configured to display a television program shown in the particular broadcast television time slot represented by the particular visual card.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein selection of the particular visual card is in response to a single user action.
19. The system of claim 14, wherein each visual card of the second set graphically represents its associated programming source.
20. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one television programming source comprises a broadcast television channel.
21. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one television programming source comprises a broadcast television network.
22. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor initiates movement of the first set of visual cards in response to a single user action.
23. The system of claim 14, further comprising a storage device configured to store the second set of visual cards.
24. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further to replace the third set of visual cards with a fourth set of visual cards in response to a user command, each visual card of the fourth set of visual cards representing a television program or programming source in an earlier broadcast time slot.
25. A system for focused navigation of a plurality of television programs within a user interface, the system comprising:
means for moving a first set of visual cards in a linear sequence through a single focus area that is both vertically and horizontally fixed within the user interface;
means for moving a second set of visual cards in a linear sequence through the focus area from a perpendicular direction, wherein each visual card of the second set of visual cards represents a respective television program or programming source in a particular broadcast time slot, and wherein no visual card in the first set is also included in the second set; and
means for replacing, in response to a single user action, the second set of visual cards with a third set of visual cards, each visual card of the third set of visual cards representing a respective television program or programming source in a later broadcast time slot.
26. A method for navigation of television program listings within a user interface, the method comprising:
continuously scrolling a first set of visual cards through a focus area that is both vertically and horizontally fixed within the user interface;
continuously scrolling a second set of visual cards through the focus area from a perpendicular direction, wherein each visual card of the second set of visual cards represents a respective television program or programming source at a particular broadcast time slot, and wherein no visual card of the first set is also included in the second set; and
in response to a single user command, replacing the second set of visual cards with a third set of visual cards, each visual card of the third set of visual cards representing a later broadcast time slot associated with the respective television program or programming sources.